diff --git a/network/newstream/cursors_test.go b/network/newstream/cursors_test.go
index bc1f9c0f2f..1dc80ad5dc 100644
--- a/network/newstream/cursors_test.go
+++ b/network/newstream/cursors_test.go
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ import (
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"math"
 	"math/rand"
-	"strconv"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -406,7 +405,7 @@ func compareNodeBinsToStreams(t *testing.T, onesCursors map[string]uint64, other
 	}
 
 	for nameKey, cur := range onesCursors {
-		id, err := strconv.Atoi(parseID(nameKey).Key)
+		id, err := parseSyncKey(parseID(nameKey).Key)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -424,7 +423,7 @@ func compareNodeBinsToStreamsWithDepth(t *testing.T, onesCursors map[string]uint
 	}
 	// inclusive test
 	for nameKey, cur := range onesCursors {
-		bin, err := strconv.Atoi(parseID(nameKey).Key)
+		bin, err := parseSyncKey(parseID(nameKey).Key)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -437,9 +436,9 @@ func compareNodeBinsToStreamsWithDepth(t *testing.T, onesCursors map[string]uint
 	}
 
 	// exclusive test
-	for i := 0; i < int(depth); i++ {
+	for i := uint8(0); i < uint8(depth); i++ {
 		// should not have anything shallower than depth
-		id := NewID("SYNC", fmt.Sprintf("%d", i))
+		id := NewID("SYNC", encodeSyncKey(i))
 		if _, ok := onesCursors[id.String()]; ok {
 			return fmt.Errorf("oneCursors contains id %s, but it should not", id)
 		}
@@ -474,7 +473,7 @@ func TestCorrectCursorsExchangeRace(t *testing.T) {
 		//create the response
 		res := &StreamInfoRes{}
 		for _, v := range msg.Streams {
-			cur, err := strconv.Atoi(v.Key)
+			cur, err := parseSyncKey(v.Key)
 			if err != nil {
 				t.Fatal(err)
 			}
@@ -568,11 +567,11 @@ CHECKSTREAMS:
 	//get the pivot cursors for peer, assert equal to what is in `sub`
 	for _, stream := range getAllSyncStreams() {
 		cur, ok := otherPeer.getCursor(stream)
-		keyInt, err := strconv.Atoi(stream.Key)
+		keyInt, err := parseSyncKey(stream.Key)
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatal(err)
 		}
-		shouldExist := checkKeyInSlice(keyInt, sub)
+		shouldExist := checkKeyInSlice(int(keyInt), sub)
 
 		if shouldExist == ok {
 			continue
@@ -646,10 +645,10 @@ func (s *slipStreamMock) HandleMsg(ctx context.Context, msg interface{}) error {
 }
 
 func getAllSyncStreams() (streams []ID) {
-	for i := 0; i <= 16; i++ {
+	for i := uint8(0); i <= 16; i++ {
 		streams = append(streams, ID{
 			Name: syncStreamName,
-			Key:  fmt.Sprintf("%d", i),
+			Key:  encodeSyncKey(i),
 		})
 	}
 	return
diff --git a/network/newstream/sync_provider.go b/network/newstream/sync_provider.go
index 42bde8db84..0309123b64 100644
--- a/network/newstream/sync_provider.go
+++ b/network/newstream/sync_provider.go
@@ -250,11 +250,11 @@ func (s *syncProvider) WantStream(p *Peer, streamID ID) bool {
 
 	// check all subscriptions that should exist for this peer
 	subBins, _ := syncSubscriptionsDiff(po, -1, depth, s.kad.MaxProxDisplay, s.syncBinsOnlyWithinDepth)
-	v, err := strconv.Atoi(streamID.Key)
+	v, err := parseSyncKey(streamID.Key)
 	if err != nil {
 		return false
 	}
-	return checkKeyInSlice(v, subBins)
+	return checkKeyInSlice(int(v), subBins)
 }
 
 var (
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ func (s *syncProvider) updateSyncSubscriptions(p *Peer, subBins, quitBins []int)
 		streams := make([]ID, l)
 		for i, po := range subBins {
 
-			stream := NewID(s.StreamName(), strconv.Itoa(po))
+			stream := NewID(s.StreamName(), encodeSyncKey(uint8(po)))
 			_, err := p.getOrCreateInterval(p.peerStreamIntervalKey(stream))
 			if err != nil {
 				p.logger.Error("got an error while trying to register initial streams", "stream", stream)
@@ -340,7 +340,7 @@ func (s *syncProvider) updateSyncSubscriptions(p *Peer, subBins, quitBins []int)
 	}
 	for _, po := range quitBins {
 		p.logger.Debug("stream unwanted, removing cursor info for peer", "bin", po)
-		p.deleteCursor(NewID(syncStreamName, strconv.Itoa(po)))
+		p.deleteCursor(NewID(syncStreamName, encodeSyncKey(uint8(po))))
 	}
 }
 
@@ -432,14 +432,7 @@ func checkKeyInSlice(k int, slice []int) (found bool) {
 }
 
 func (s *syncProvider) ParseKey(streamKey string) (interface{}, error) {
-	b, err := strconv.Atoi(streamKey)
-	if err != nil {
-		return 0, err
-	}
-	if b < 0 || b > 16 {
-		return 0, errors.New("stream key out of range")
-	}
-	return uint8(b), nil
+	return parseSyncKey(streamKey)
 }
 
 func (s *syncProvider) EncodeKey(i interface{}) (string, error) {
@@ -447,7 +440,7 @@ func (s *syncProvider) EncodeKey(i interface{}) (string, error) {
 	if !ok {
 		return "", errors.New("error encoding key")
 	}
-	return fmt.Sprintf("%d", v), nil
+	return encodeSyncKey(v), nil
 }
 
 func (s *syncProvider) StreamName() string { return s.name }
@@ -457,3 +450,18 @@ func (s *syncProvider) Boundedness() bool { return false }
 func (s *syncProvider) Autostart() bool { return s.autostart }
 
 func (s *syncProvider) Close() { close(s.quit) }
+
+func parseSyncKey(streamKey string) (uint8, error) {
+	b, err := strconv.ParseUint(streamKey, 36, 8)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, err
+	}
+	if b < 0 || b > chunk.MaxPO {
+		return 0, fmt.Errorf("stream key %v out of range", b)
+	}
+	return uint8(b), nil
+}
+
+func encodeSyncKey(i uint8) string {
+	return strconv.FormatUint(uint64(i), 36)
+}